- Chapter 08

During the past weeks, it was time for us to head towards the South Island. We made a short stop at the Tongariro National Park, which we will visit again on our journey back to the north. Hopefully, the weather will be better then so that we can tackle the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. However, we spontaneously decided to go on a smaller hike.

Our route took about two hours and led us through different terrains. First, we walked through the forest, along a river, and then across a dried-out area. There were more or less solid paths with steps, gravel roads, or root trails. We always had our eyes on the breathtaking landscape. The highlight of the tour was the Taranaki Falls. We admired the waterfall during a small break.

Afterwards, we continued to Wellington. There, we spontaneously decided to take the ferry one day earlier than planned. We booked with Interislander and drove to the departure point. Once on the ferry, we found a place on deck and enjoyed the changing landscape spectacle. Just before our arrival in Picton, we even spotted dolphins.

As we drove along the east coast to Christchurch, we spotted seals on the rocks next to the main road. We decided to make a short stop and watched them for a while. Of course, we took plenty of photos as well.

The noteworthy event that followed was our drive to Akaroa. It proved somewhat difficult to reach our chosen campsite. However, we have become accustomed to the narrow, winding roads.
Once there, we looked into the possibilities of what we could do here. We chose a nice, little hiking trail to a lookout point rock. Or so we thought. The reality was a bit different.
The selected route was more of an incredibly steep dirt trail. To make sure that this was indeed the right way, we checked with the reception just to be safe. They confirmed it and we passed through a gate where sheep and cows were freely roaming.

During the ascent, we had to be careful where we stepped, despite the beautiful landscape. Loose rocks, roots, or dirt can quickly cause one to slip. Not to mention a huge, fresh cow dung. However, once we reached the top, all the effort was rewarded.
We had the entire lookout to ourselves and enjoyed the silence. We had a great view of the sea and the opposite peninsula.